REVISIT | SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis) 2 | BLACK SCREEN | Can I FIX It?

This is a REVISIT of Part 2 of the faulty Mega Drive consoles from eBay. This one doesn't display on the TV. There is a suspected short on one of the traces, will I be able to find it?
Hope you enjoy!
Steve
Support me on Patreon: / stezstixfix
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The magic things I use to break stuff;
My soldering iron: amzn.to/2Isf360
My leaded solder: amzn.to/3giGtI1
My flux: amzn.to/3lTrPIh
My soldering wick: amzn.to/3groIGn
My microscope: amzn.to/2VP3msU
My blue mat: amzn.to/3mUiIZl
My tweezers: amzn.to/2VOMjYc
My multimeter: amzn.to/2LjBgnN
My oscilloscope: amzn.to/3oPQQpU
My underpants: amzn.to/3gknvjY
PS. I'm not an expert in repairs at all. I do this for fun, and it may not be the best or safest way to go about repairing broken stuff. I'm pretty good at melting plastic though.

[@KB1UIF]

Hi Steve, Congratulations on fixing this unit. It would help you to know a little more about AC theory. The Inductor is basically a coil of wire. The properties of an Inductor are, to pass DC and impead or try to block AC current flow. I believe your knowledge is mainly DC theory based and that's why you don't really understand the purpose of the inductor. This is common when learning electronics its often the first thing that's learned along with ohms law etc. It appears in this circuit that the Inductor and capacitor in parallel form a tuned circuit. Tuned circuits are intended to be used to pass or block certain frequencies, they have what's called resonance. This combination of inductor and capacitor could be referred to as a filter circuit. The Capacitor will block DC but pass AC so it has the opposite characteristics to the coil or inductor. To better understand, look at the impedance characteristics of an inductor and capacitor compared with frequency of an applied signal.The coil and capacitor are opposite to one another if you look at the characteristics. I hope this helps a little. Andy.

[@nathancarpenter2193]

I really feel like I went on a journey with you, this was a great watch! I actually laughed out loud when that sega logo popped up!

[@StezStixFix]

😁 Thanks Nathan! Yeah, this one was emotional. I tried literally everything I could think of! Thank you for watching, much appreciated! 👍

[@acidxburn125]

After worked in electronics for more than 20 years, NOTHING comes close to that feeling when you finally fix something that`s been a total pain in the ass :) well done bro.

[@jwilko7998]

The resultant "get in there!" was class, great result we are ready for the next instalment!!!

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, thank you! 😊

[@brentrichards1200]

It's too bad I'm only seeing these a year later. I'd have been able to save you a bit of headache. All's well that ends well. Love the vids, my dude.

[@SparksNZeros]

if their's one thing i love to see it's a 'f**king get in!' moment. those combined chips (315- series) fail in much the same way as CPU's and PPU's in SNES fail, repeated heat cycles and age eventually break down the internal connections of the chip, with the chip expected to do so much more than in earlier models its failure can throw up some very esoteric issues! often people harvest them in order to fix the much rarer Sega CDX unit as they're affected even more commonly.

[@StezStixFix]

Those "get in" moments feel so good, especially when you've been toiling away for hours trying to find the problem! I'd love to get a CDX to work on, I've been keeping my eyes peeled! 👍

[@kranibal]

I appreciate your patience and your will to return to such a lengthy and difficult fix! I sure learned a lot from both those videos. Thank you.

[@ShawnClarady]

It gives me great joy to see you work things out and get it working. I understand the feeling. Great job sir.

[@JulianStokesIt]

Late to this party, but congratulations on your dogged determination and perseverance. I am full of nothing but admiration!

[@henrymj9662]

Nice video! You have determination. You got your reward: you fixed this incredible console.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Henry! This one was a real challenge but I got there in the end! 👍

[@Jared-C]

I've been going back and rewatching all your videos, and this fix is one of my favorites ❤

[@nobodyuknow4911]

That relieving feeling when you replace basically everything inside the case with parts that work so that the franken-console rises from the dead ^_^

[@TheNintendochannel64]

It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!!!!

[@Septer_Sever]

There was almost...tears of joy 😂Well done, brother!

[@Agilo3]

Wow such perseverance. Such a nice journey to have followed alongside. So many twists and turns but it all led to a happy ending. Good job!

[@velvetsky3291]

loved this follow up video even though its two years old . most people would have given up a lot faster but congrats on making two very epic and enjoyable videos , i have binge watched a ton of your videos i am so glad i subscribed please continue you are awesome !!

[@pootnannies]

i'm glad you posted a follow up. i hate when it's a no fix. super happy you solved the puzzle.

[@Ratchet_effect]

Never!! In all my many decades have I seen a dead ASIC on a Sega mega drive. The amount off consoles I've de-modded changed RGB chips V-Ram chips Slots etc.. I've lost count off them. I'm so surprised it was the Asic chip all along. Steve that's got to be documented, that thing took a few of us down rabbit holes alright. So, so pleased it's fixed & BIG! Massive thank you! for the shout out, much appreciated. I am so tempted to start making videos in 2021 thanks to you!! 😊🖖👍 Castle of Illusion is my all time favourite for the MD You played what some may call, the sequel to it. Castle 1 player World 2 player that's the biggest difference.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks again Steve. I have to say, it surprised me too, which is why I thought I might have just got lucky and inadvertently repaired a trace with some stray solder or something around the chip. But I can't see anything on the board that would suggest that. I've kept the ASIC I took off, and I'm planning on putting it on to the "donor" board that I bought. (if i can fix the power issue, that is) and then see if it does the same thing on that!

[@Ratchet_effect]

I got a good feeling that if you put the ASIC on the dead power board it'll work. All that chasing & it seems like it was a bad joint on the ASIC oh well, even us oldies can learn new things. (Not calling you old btw) As for the power side of it, first port off call is the 5v regulator. If the 3 pins of the power input socket don't have cracked or cold joints. 👍

[@Ratchet_effect]

Oh BTW Steve I'm officially naming you the *Mega drive god!* In my documents.

[@StezStixFix]

@@Ratchet_effect Haha! 🤣 I'll take that! I'll probably make the next one blow up, but that's part of the fun!

[@StezStixFix]

@@Ratchet_effect Thanks for heads up on power side of things. I did check the regulator on the one in this vid, and it was 9v in and 5v out, so I thought that was fine. It'll be the first thing I'll check on the donor one! 👍

[@davidca96]

I love seeing/hearing the excitement of hard work paying off, excellent.

[@Br33zeKooL]

I just commented on the old video, I'm glad to see that you returned to this.

[@waynerowland5050]

well done mate your persistence paid off

[@StezStixFix]

Cheers Wayne! 👍

[@turks1966]

After all that you finally got it, congratulations, I don't have the patience for what you do. It's very interesting to see you work through the problem to fix these devices and prevent them from becoming e-waste.

[@gb7767]

Glad you got there in the end. So it seems that C30 was part of an LC circuit, these basically create a resonant signal (think of it as the electronic version of a tuning fork), often used as in filters. It just goes to show that you have to understand the context of what you are looking at, without a circuit board in front of you it's difficult. So a lesson learned and that is the aim of the game.

[@StezStixFix]

Absolutely! Thank you so much for the comments, I forgot to shout you out in the video, but I have definitely learnt. It's easy to say that you learn from your mistakes, but it is so true. I now understand much more than I did a week ago. On to the next one! 👍

[@gb7767]

@@StezStixFix Next one should be easy, it's missing a CPU :D ... you might want to check the regulator, but work logically from the power cable toward the missing processor, and remember to check those decoupling caps for shorts.

[@StezStixFix]

@@gb7767 🤣 I did wonder about putting the "faulty" CPU on it and then trying to fault find the rest of the board. I might actually do that 👍

[@UkdangermanRepairs]

The elation that you feel when you fix something and It bursts in to life. Incredible feeling 😁😁👍👍👍👍

[@lubomirrolko1967]

congratulations on your success. it was instructive, especially when it came to patience

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Lubomir! 👍

[@CygnusTM]

So happy for you! Great to see it working!

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Todd, I was a little excited when it started working! 😊

[@Norrecito]

Great job! I knew you could fix it :) I was about to suggest you to check the main crystal (I saw a video yesterday where a broken crystal caused the same black screen) but then you have fixed it in the last 2 minutes of the video :)

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Norrecito! I did actually swap the crystal out, as I thought it might be that too. Turns out it worked fine 🙂

[@willrobinson7599]

Great set of videos . So happy u finally got it sorted even if its had more parts changed than triggers broom did Iol

[@StezStixFix]

🤣🤣 you're not wrong there. Thanks Will 👍

[@cliff_hewitt]

That is determination if I've ever seen it. What a great result for you!

[@philpowell6915]

After watching the saga of Part 1, I just had to find out if you eventually overcome the flippin' thing....!! Sooooo pleased you got there in the end 😀

[@ahndeux]

Its the parts cannon approach to repairs... LOL. Congrats for getting it fixed!

[@SDAune]

Got lucky??? You spent days working on that thing, you earned it!

[@streamallday]

FINALLY!... that one was a right mystery, well done.

[@BIGNICK620]

Take the controller port from the donor board and put it on the other one.

[@KorAllRBare]

That Junk Board Err-Donor Board might be an easy fix if you can get a second hand working Sega Chip and then a replacement for perhaps a fuse, regulator or whatever other faulty component, it should be easier because most revisions have a lot of the main Chips the same, and between the two working boards you can compare roughly what each chip should test like, and that's without having to power any of them up..

[@StezStixFix]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I am actually tempted to put the "faulty" Sega chip on it to see if it has the same problem with booting. (That is if I can fix the power issue), so I think I'll try and get a replacement chip, but have a play with it in the meantime. It all helps the learning for me! 👍

[@KorAllRBare]

@@StezStixFix yerp a Lot kin be done without powering up the board, and because you have a component tester you could run a set of leads from it to each and every component, mind you you may have to remove some if they are connected in parellel to other components, just leave the IC's till last, unless more than two pins are grounded, especially if the data sheet indicates they are not meant to be grounded..

[@lostrocket9126]

yeahhhh!!!!! finally! Great work, congratz!!!!

[@PhilipBryden]

Nice one Steve. I'll have to find a donor board and swap mine over too.

[@StezStixFix]

Cheers Phil. Look forward to seeing how you get on. 👍

Great video. I have very similar problem, but I don't even get copyright screen. I tried everything, like cleaning slot, looking for broken traces etc. After this video I just checked capacitor C30 and found out it is shorted too. So maybe the same issue, but I am not able to replace chip right now, I need to get some spares. But thanks this video, I finally move to some direction with it. Thank you very much for great content.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Michal. I tried absolutely everything on this Mega Drive (if you watched the first video) so that chip was my last hope! I think I got lucky, but I'm really happy with the outcome. I hope you can fix yours, good luck! 👍

[@craigconway4093]

Wow, awesome :) Such persistence paid off !

[@craigconway4093]

So lucky that the donor board didn't have a bad CPU as well.

[@kennethbarker852]

1st class video to watch thank you take care kind regards from me kenneth

[@oldscoolgaming.5040]

Well done! Yet another awesome vid.

[@smithincanton]

Congrats!!! Nice repair!

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Adam! 👍

[@iFixConsoles]

Well done buddy glad you fixed it 😁

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Chris! 😊

[@rpgduck]

Just followed your progress. Well done.

[@burtosis]

Inductors perform as a short with direct current. They can be placed as shorts to ground as part of a high pass filter.

[@nitt3rz]

It looks like some or all of the shorts damaged the CPU. Fault finding is all about trial & error, sometimes it's mainly error.

[@smig72]

Well done mate, awesome fix :)

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Steve, much appreciated! 😊

[@gordsmits5897]

You have mad soldering skills. I'd need to ingest a bit of alcohol to steady my hands like that. Good job :)

[@watchingdanny]

I just binged watched this entire series of MegaDrives. Loved them all and so satisfying to see you conquer them both. Excellent work.

[@bunnylove273]

Hi bud what great to see this nightmare cometh to an end well bl....dy done 👏

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Bunny. It was really good to see this one alive again! 👍

[@n1ck211]

Awesome followup 👍 been looking forward to this 👏👏👏👏

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks n1ck! I enjoyed this one 😊

[@n1ck211]

One question though 🤔 did you leave the capacitor on that was connected on the AV port ?

[@StezStixFix]

@@n1ck211 Yes I did, I noticed on some other videos that it was there too. Seems to be either a common mod, or it is actually factory. To be honest though, it didn't really make any difference to the audio hum on startup, so I'm not too sure if it actually does anything!

[@BrunakoPAO]

Nice ! I did not expect this chip to be faulty. Bravo !

[@KorAllRBare]

Whoo~Hoooo!!! Love that adrenalin rush when the unit comes to life, I guess someone already suspected the main chip "what with that cross on it" The good thing is you now know a thing or two about a circuit that filters out unwanted upper and lower frequencies filtered out by a capacitor for higher frequencies and an inductor for lower frequencies, AKA "A Notch Filter" BTW if that hum early on in the Boot is not a common theme at least compared with yo other Mega Drive, then that suggests a problem with a capacitor not working properly, this BTW could be a problem as it could be allowing unwanted voltages to creep into sensitive components "The IC you replaced perhaps being one of them", A quick check with an oscilloscope on all the various voltage rails that show a wave form rather than a steady DC voltage should point to where in the circuit a component is allowing a Wave form to exist where it shouldn't, Failing components to suspect are Capacitors, Zener Diodes, Rectifying Diodes, and or Voltage Regulators, that may be out of spec or near to failing..

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Bear! Yeah, I feel like I learnt a lot through this one. I can't wait to get on to something else similar to see if I fare any better! That's a good shout re the humming, I did replace the 'regular' electrolytic capacitors, but not the smd ones. Very possible that something is still wobbly. I do need to get the hang of the oscilloscope, so will have a play around with it! 👍 thanks for all your help.

[@jamesearl5071]

I enjoyed the ding ding ding ding dings 😢 wanted a "You pocket up an inductor, apple and bread and magic potato" ding 😅😅

[@burtosis]

Sometimes NC pins are for manufacture or testing purposes and are internally attached and do perform a function. It’s best to let them float and not ground them unless specified in the data sheet.

[@melvoid01]

to me i saw a huge crack across the cpu when you took it off? maybe I see things anyway it was a journey this one. good result.

[@Hammarsand]

Love the Sega repairs!

[@burnutec3]

What does an inductor do? I almost dropped my phone , 🤣. Mainly used for filtering or oscillators, but they also acts as temporary magnetic energy storage in switch mode power supplies. Also, a speaker is a magent and an inductor basicly. So they do a lot. 😄

[@rizsarwar2713]

Wining prize you got sonic to play

[@jinxnatorx]

Brilliant just brilliant well done buddy

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Jinxy! 😊

[@jinxnatorx]

@@StezStixFix Your welcome

[@rster536821]

holy heli ....i am so happy for ya ....oh the drama!!!

[@StezStixFix]

😁 thanks rster!

[@whatislovebutonelonggame5406]

perseverance! hard work pays off!!!

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Wilbolg! Yeah, this one took me through a lot! Really satisfying to get in up and running! 👍

[@leeg4116]

Great work getting it up and running mate, when it came up SEGA, I thought I was watching an x rated Vince video lol, again congrats, and can't wait for the next one

[@StezStixFix]

Haha! 🤣 Thanks Lee.

[@gabrielgamerx14]

Thank you very much for your video, I have a brazilian sega megadrive 3 with the same problem, the PRODUCED BY OR UNDER LICENSE FROM SEGA ENTERPRISES LTD turns on and then black screen. I'm going to change the 315-5660 chip and see what happens. 👍👍

[@tekeraq]

Congrats, for future reference NC is not connected' or 'no connection' and some manufacturers leave the mask off the pins so they can bridge

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Tiago, good info! 👍

[@maxwarfield6699]

Just wondering if perhaps, you could help me identify that little black component, that sits next to the input voltage jack? Yours is marked RC 04 E [on my Canadian Mega Drive, it says: RC 04 U and on the PCB itself, it’s “labeled” CF1]. I’ve Looked all over the web and all I could find is that CF might stand for crystal filter OR perhaps current follower - as I am a complete NOOB, I have never heard of either of these two things - so, what is this four pin device? It looks like an opto-coupler to me… Any insight will be greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly

[@GrandizerGo]

Congratulations! Great job, but I wonder, if I missed this in an earlier video, was there not an X drawn on that original chip on the bad board??? Did you put the X on it or did someone else? An X to me means bad, I saw you put an F on a chip you thought was bad, it wasn't, but I see many others put X's on bad chips.

[@dustyshoopman845]

My model 2 is doing the same thing. It will boot to the black Sega license screen then just go black. From what I have learn that license screen is the region lock screen. Old model 1 Genesis that don't have that screen are not region locked and will play US Europe and Japanese games. So I am guessing the issues is something to do with that rgb chip from the first video. The chip that pin 7 was something to do with NTSCU.

[@dejanminstrel]

Hi steve! I got same problem with my VA 1.8 board. C30 is "shorted" . I did suspected to be rgb encoder before i watched your video 🤣 Can u tell me is c30 still "shorted" after u replaced main chip? Thank you.

[@OOOHBILLY]

Yo GET IN THERE!!!! That deserves a cold pint.

[@arifw.a.r6151]

hello sir, i want to ask about my sega md 2, it melts in smd ceramic capacitor parts. which is at number c22, adjacent to the BA10324AF ic SMD in the On/off button area, my question is what is the current value of the creamic smd capacitor, thanks, have a nice day

[@RBKing80]

Would love to see you work on a Master System 1 or 2.

[@StezStixFix]

Yeah, I've got my eye on one of those. I never owned a Master System, but my mate had the Master System 1, and I remember playing Golfamania on it for hours on end. Will definitely be looking out for one. 👍

[@RBKing80]

@@StezStixFix There is one local to me. I will see if I can grab it for ya.

[@AlvinMarin.]

Bravo 👏

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Alvin! 😊

[@jonathanlittle8393]

Great news well done 👏

[@StezStixFix]

Thank Jonathan! 👍

[@maxwarfield6699]

Kudos mate! This was a great video, it’s encouraged me to try repairing my Sega Genesis [which doesn’t boot up] again. I’m not formally trained, I’m just an electronic enthusiast and videos like this, are truly motivating. Again, congrats on the repair mate, I felt SO happy for you, when the Sega logo appeared… just AWESOME! Cheers mate

[@snapeQT]

couldve checked whether the induction shows up as a short on your operational mega drive

[@nicosauseador]

Hello i have a mk3 cartridge, the game at start has blie screen in console, i test de memory resistors and cap and all be ok..

[@cawaboonga85]

Can I ask whats the specific model of the microscope you use?

[@StezStixFix]

Hi Alex, it's the Andonstar AD407. This one: amzn.to/3fqaA0f

[@cawaboonga85]

Also the heat gun :]

[@cawaboonga85]

@@StezStixFix Hey thank you very. Much I admire your resilience on this endeavor, its enormously frustrating sometimes, I gave up on a nintendo 64.

[@StezStixFix]

@@cawaboonga85 the heat gun I think is my old one, a cheap Yihua one. I've since upgraded to a Quick 861DW and it's awesome: amzn.to/3Fw3XnX 👍

[@cawaboonga85]

@@StezStixFix Hey thankyou very much for taking the time to reply !

[@JWWEntertainment]

Would you take a repair? I have a MD1 that powers up but no picture.

[@donkoehler1102]

Fix one... it was a cold solder joint on the crystal.

[@moosesugar]

congrats mate

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Jon, this one felt good!

[@ideyanuar713]

Help bro my MD2 black screen but sound is ok

[@StezStixFix]

Hi Ide. That sounds like a problem with the video port or the cable. If you have already tried a different cable, then I would suspect you have some dry/cracked solder joints on the video port connection to the motherboard. I would always start by giving the cartridge slot a good clean, but after that have a look and see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary around the video port. Good luck 👍

[@simonlunt353]

Steve I think you are a brave man for a start doing this work and Admitting you don’t know what you are doing on camera but you persevere so I take my hat off to you well done sir I enjoy watching you well done 👍 may you have lots more good results 👏👏👏👏😊

[@chivacetana]

THE TRANSISTOR!!!!!

[@jackal242]

Is this Part 3 ?

[@TheRamonperez]

I think NC means normally closed

[@napalmzero1916]

i think you are likely correct

[@delta8tt8]

Why was Sonic running slow?

[@SqualidsargeStudios]

You can’t be sure if it was the big chip or the encoder, since you didn’t test it with the replacement encoder and original chip. For all we know it was the encoder

[@coryengel]

Need to get me one o them chip poppin tweezers.

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, yeah they work really well 🤣

[@dcidaves3119]

nice

[@jpkiller69]

Bravo Steve. I enjoy and admire your work.

[@makinjica]

Great repair - never give up ! Now sega lives again !

[@RetroGamesBoy78]

That was awesome! 100th comment!

[@AllenSmith81]

Well I was wrong on the last video

[@chuckbenedict7235]

I'm half way through watching this Sega saga. My intuition is telling me this is either a ROM problem or a power supply problem because obviously some code is running and the result is making it to the display, and then it stops. Unpausing to see the conclusion...

[@chuckbenedict7235]

Amazing persistence. Nice job.

[@jeffcarriere]

👍👍👍👍

[@dikoman516]

Where's part 1 ?

[@MagikGimp]

Not often the CPU goes.

[@ZolotarevAleksandr]

my friend do you have a schematic for it? can I share it with you?....

[@StezStixFix]

I think I found a schematic online somewhere. Not sure if i still have it

[@ZolotarevAleksandr]

@@StezStixFix how can I send it to you?

[@craigwheatcroft9233]

Can you fix my boys ps5 keeps shutting down please

[@kennybacchus1488]

Revisit. Sera. Mega. Drive. Genesis. 2. Black. Screen cut.